Louis II

Louis II, (born Oct. 7, 1377, Toulon, Fr.—died April 29, 1417, Angers), duke of Anjou, count of Maine and Provence (1384–1417), king of Naples, Sicily, and Jerusalem, who attempted, with only temporary success, to enforce the Angevin claims to the Neapolitan throne initiated by his father, Louis I.

In 1389 Louis inherited his father’s titles and was crowned king of Naples by the antipope Clement VII, although Naples was, in fact, ruled by Ladislas of the Durazzo branch of the Angevin family. Louis occupied Naples in 1390–99, until driven out by Ladislas. He then withdrew to Provence.

In 1409 Louis abandoned Pope Benedict XIII and recognized the antipope Alexander V, who named him king of Naples once more. He entered Rome to fight the Neapolitan army, which occupied the city, and then began an unsuccessful campaign to retake Naples (1409–10). Called to Rome again, this time by the antipope John XXIII, Louis finally defeated Ladislas at Roccasecca (May 11, 1411). He failed to follow up this victory, however, and, losing the support of the Pope, who had switched allegiance to Ladislas, he was forced to return to France to administer his lands. There he instituted the Parliament of Aix (1415) and increased the privileges of universities in Aix and Angers.

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